Gerald John (Mick) HAYES

HAYES, Gerald John

Service Number: SX8236
Enlisted: 6 July 1940, Adelaide, SA
Last Rank: Private
Last Unit: 2nd/48th Infantry Battalion
Born: Wirrabara, South Australia, 15 March 1919
Home Town: Wirrabara, Mount Remarkable, South Australia
Schooling: Sacred Heart College, South Australia
Occupation: Not yet discovered
Died: Killed in Action, Egypt, 22 July 1942, aged 23 years
Cemetery: El Alamein War Cemetery
Plot XVI, Row B Grave 12, El Alamein War Cemetery, El Alamein, Marsa Matruh, Egypt
Memorials: Adelaide WW2 Wall of Remembrance, Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Wirrabara District WW2 Honour Roll, Wirrabara War Memorial, Wirrabara War Memorial Library
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World War 2 Service

6 Jul 1940: Involvement Private, SX8236
6 Jul 1940: Enlisted Adelaide, SA
6 Jul 1940: Enlisted Australian Military Forces (Army WW2), Private, SX8236, 2nd/48th Infantry Battalion
Date unknown: Involvement
Date unknown: Involvement 2nd/48th Infantry Battalion

‘Eternal rest grant unto him, O Lord’

Gerald, nicknamed ‘Mick’ was the second son born in Wirrabara, on the 15th March 1919 to James Francis and Mary (Molly) Hayes. He was one of five children, including older brother Cletus James who was born in January ’17. Wirrabara was a country town in the southern Flinders Ranges, known for being the first established Government Forest nursery and for the quality merino sheep raised there.
The strongly Catholic family were pillars of their local St. Augustine's Church, beautifully constructed with the generous help of the Hayes family. All the children attended Catholic Schools with Cletus and Gerald being scholars at Sacred Heart College. Both boys and their sisters, Aileen and Kathleen attended Catholic Summer Schools at Peterborough, an initiative for the "outback" boys and girls of the diocese. Students were accommodated in the St. Anacletus Hall and St. Joseph's College. There they were taught the Catechism, given religious instructions, and schooled in popular Catholic hymns and Latin hymns for the Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament. At the conclusion of the ‘school’ all children were presented with a hymn book.
As a fit young man, Gerald played both cricket and football for his local Wirrabara team in the Northern Areas Association competition. In an historic first for the football team, he played in their first ever Grand Final in ’39. Gerald and his team, captained by Cletus, were lauded to ‘put up a big fight to have their name placed on the valuable association shield’ by the local Areas’ Express newspaper. They were up against Crystal Brook who had a 16-year drought since their last Premiership in ‘23. For each community it was a hugely prestigious event as the winner would ‘receive £12/10/ for trophies and hold the Cup presented by Gladstone and Jamestown dealers for General Motors Limited for the next twelve months. They will also hold the premiership shield for the year.’ A huge crowd attended the closely contested game.
The Areas’ Express summarised the contest ‘Players and spectators expected a keenly fought game, and in this they were not disappointed as the match was as exciting as any premiership for many years. Indeed no one could predict the winner right up to the final bell, as the scores were so close, and they changed in lightning fashion. In the opening term players were as keen as mustard. and with each of them playing very fine football spectators were soon roused to a high pitch of excitement and urged their players on to the utmost.’ With the score seesawing each quarter, only five points separated the teams at three quarter time. ‘High-class football continued until the final hell which saw Crystal Brook victorious in one of the best premiership matches by nine points.’
Post-game, Wirrabara was complimented on their sportsmanship and form with both Captain Cletus Hayes and Gerald being awarded best on field for Wirrabara. Both were selected to represent the Northern Areas Association representative team.
Soon after however, with the outbreak of WWII, the following year Gerald enlisted on the 6th July ’40, just prior to his 21st birthday. Later that year, Cletus again won the ‘Mail’ Medal, his second time in the Northern Areas Football Association, and again captaining the Wirrabara team. Whilst he was playing football, Gerald was allocated to the newly formed 2/48th Battalion, given the number SX8236. For the new soldiers, initial days were spent in the cold of the Pavilions, now part of the Royal Adelaide Showgrounds, before they headed to Woodside in the Adelaide Hills for their preliminary training.
Gerald enjoyed pre-embarkation leave before returning to the 2/48th Battalion which then embarked on the Stratheden for the Middle East, on the 7th November 1940, arriving on the 19th December 1940.
Two years after enlisting, 23-year-old Gerald was killed in action on the 22nd July ’42. At that stage, orders had been received to capture West Point of Tel el Eisa in a dawn attack. In late June ‘42 with Rommel crossing into Egypt, the 2/48th were in an offensive to capture Trig 33, which was achieved on the 10th July. In doing so, over 400 Italian prisoners were taken. The 2/48th battalion then advanced south, capturing the Tel el Eisa station and repelling numerous counter attacks. However, they were eventually forced to withdraw, having suffered over 100 casualties. It was during this attack that Private Stan Gurney was awarded the 2/48th Battalion’s first VC having captured two machine gun posts and bayonetting the gun crew firing on his company but was killed attempting to take a third. The 2/48th battalion suffered 215 casualties between the 7th July and 23rd October. Of that number, 64 men were killed and six, died of their wounds. 125 other men were wounded but survived.
John Glenn in Tobruk to Tarakan describes the ferocious encounter.
“When the troops were well forward of the start-line they came under terrific fire from shells and mortars from the front and left and suffered heavy casualties. With the slow, deliberate movement of perfectly trained soldiers both companies continued the advance in perfect formation, over ground that trembled and erupted with vicious explosions. Through this, sometimes obscured by the smoke and dust, the men moved, and, as they advanced, the fire kept pace with them, leaving behind the still shapes of fallen men among the camel bush and sand.”
Initially his fellow soldiers from the 2/48th buried Gerald in the field at Tel El Eisa with others from his Battalion killed at a similar time. The news of his death and others who had fallen with him was announced in the August edition of the Adelaide Chronicle. In Gerald’s Battalion, the men were: Killed In Action SX13121 Pte. Reginald W. Charles Brown. 2/48th Whyalla. SX12765. Pte. Charles A. Corfield. 2/48th Clare. SX7166 Pte. Arthur R. Davis. 2/48th Rosewater SX5823 Cpl. G. E. Gay, 2/43rd, Woodville SX13018 Pte. Colin J. Hanley. 2/48th Port Augusta. SX8236 Pte. Gerald J. Hayes. 2/48th Wirrabara SX6297 Pte. Donald S. Ridley. 2/48th Loxton SX11052. Pte. Walter M. Shane. 2/48th Spalding. SX8315 Pte. Robert O. Sunman. 2/48th Port Augusta. SX11021 Pte. Lindsay H. Thorpe 2/43rd Woodville Died Of Wounds SX8087 Cpl. F. W. Fletcher, 2/48th Aldgate SX8454 Cpl. Arthur A. A. Harding. 2/48th Peterborough.
This devastating news was relayed to the close-knit community through the Areas’ Express in August ’42. ‘Pte G. J. Hayes. Mr. J. Hayes, of Wirrabara, has been informed that his son, Pte. G. J. Hayes, was killed in action in Egypt on July 22. He was 24 years of age and enlisted in June 1940 and went overseas in the following December, and served for several months at Tobruk. Pte. Hayes was a popular member of the Wirrabara Football Club and was useful member of Northern Areas Association team until he enlisted.’
Following Gerald’s death, older brother, Cletus James Hayes enlisted for the Air Force in April ’43 becoming Leading Aircraftman 437901. He was discharged in September ’45.
Gerald was initially buried in the El Alamein British Military Cemetery before being re-buried in April ’43. He now rests in the El Alamein War Cemetery in Egypt in Plot XVI, Row B Grave 12. He lies now with others from the 2/48th Battalion including 33-year-old SX7354 Private H.C.P. Jones, 32-year-old Private WX10297 C.L. Liebelt, 26-year-old SX7200 Private G.J. Jury, 22-year-old SX6297 Private D.S. Ridley, 22-year-old SX8881 Private J. McA Sutherland, 30-year-old SX7399 Corporal R.B. Lovelock and 27-year-old SX7166 Private A.R. Davis. All were killed on the 22nd July ’42. Gerald’s parents chose the inscription ‘Eternal rest grant unto him, O Lord’ for his headstone.
Post war Gerald’s parents decided to retire in May ’47, leaving Wirrabara where James had lived all his life as had all his children. Recognition of the service both Cletus and Gerald had made to the war effort and Gerald’s supreme sacrifice were made. Their local parish priest praised the parents ‘whose main desire was to give their children the best training possible to help them to face the trials and temptations of this modern world, and gain eternal happiness in the next’ according to the Southern Cross May newspaper of ‘47. A small presentation was also made to Gerald’s older brother, Cletus. He returned to playing football, including with the Sacred Heart Old Scholars.
Advertiser (Adelaide, SA : 1931 - 1954), Saturday 22 July 1944, HAYES, Pte. G. J.—ln loving memory of dear Micky, killed Tel-el-Eisa. July 22. 1942. Ever in our thoughts—Mum, Dad, Cletus (R.A.A.F.) Pat, Marie and Darrell. Wirrabara HAYES—In loving memory of Pte. G. J. Hayes (Mick), killed in action. Egypt July 22. 1942.—Ever remembered by Peg and Doug.
Advertiser Monday 23 July 1945, HAYES. G. J (Mick).—ln loving memory of Mick, killed in action Tel el Eisa July 22. 1942.—Ever remembered by Peg and Doug.
Advertiser Monday 22 July 1946, HAYES. Pte Gerald. —In loving memory of dear Micky, who gave his life at El Alamein. on July 22. 1943. RIP.—Remembered always by his parents, brothers and sisters. Wirrabara. HAYES, Pte. G. J. 2/48 Btn. 2nd A.I.F. —In memory of my dear friend "Mick" who gave his life at El Alamein, July 22. 1942.—Always remembered by Mary. HAYES. SX8236 Pte. G. J.—In loving memory of our pal Mick, killed in action at El Alamein July 22, 1942. —Always remembered by Kav, Bob and Bronc.

Researched and written by Kaye Lee, daughter of Bryan Holmes SX8133, 2/48th Battalion

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